Sunday is the deadline for card terminals in 58 professions

Fifty-eight professions have been granted a March 11 deadline for the installation and activation of card terminals to allow their customers to make electronic payments. This concerns professionals such as estate agents, food caterers, carpenters as well as those providing funeral services.

Professionals who do not comply with the ministerial decision issued in December face a fine of 1,500 euros, which will be halved if paid within a month from the day it was imposed.

There is an exception for new companies that launch between February 11 and March 11, which will get a grace period until April 11. Similarly, any professionals or enterprises that start operating after March 11 (this Sunday) will be given one month to comply.

Numerous professionals and enterprises continue to cite excuses to avoid installing and operating card terminals, saying, for example, they are still expecting delivery of the gadget, that they have one but it is broken, or that the online connection is down. There are few inspections and some professionals are still doing business without card terminals or anyone checking up on them.